Hidden Love

偷偷藏不住 ‧ Drama ‧ 2023
Completed
MariliT
2 people found this review helpful
24 days ago
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Perfection

Things I adored

1 The ML. I can't say it enough but he must be one of the rare actors who can play with my emotions that much. Whether he's sad or playful, serious or funny he gives me all the feelings with his eyes. He's gorgeous, that's a given, but there are other very handsome actors whom I don't care at all. He is like a walking green flag and I adore green flags when it comes to romance. I've seen him in Our secret as well, and loved him. What can I say? I ADORE him.

2 The premise. I'm a lover of high school dramas that spill in university. But this one was particularly great. They weren't together at school yet it felt like they grew up together.

3 Loved their relationship and how protective he was of her. So many swooning moments. But it wasn't only him. She protected him as well and that was great to watch.

4 The relationship between the FL and her brother. So fun, so sweet, so moving. Little demon became my favorite phrase.

5 The parents. Her mom was gorgeous and she played her role to perfection. I was so happy with the relationship the parents had with their children. It was great to watch them grow up in such a loving family.

6 The brother of the FL. At first I thought I'd dislike him. I didn't know what to expect. Then I've seen how he treated his sister and I adored him. The actors played their relationship so beautifully, so naturally. I loved his friendship with the ML as well. And of course how understanding and how protective he was with both o them after they got together. Such a great character and the actor did a stellar job to make me love him.

7 The young actress who played the young FL. Such a great actress and so fun to watch her. I was looking eagerly for the scenes she appeared. Such a talented person. I hope she has a great career.

8 Every single moment they showed each other how they felt. The milk, the hidden star messages, the airport scene... So many wonderful, lovely scenes. I think this is the only series out of maybe 50 I've seen that I'm sure I'll rewatch one day.

8 The whole drama. If I had to label it I could never give it less than 10 even with some imperfections.

Things I loved

1 The FL. Why isn't she with the rest of the cast in the "Adored" list. Well, I feel like I'm not being fair, but I have to distinguish those I adored and although I loved her I don't care to see her in other series, so that tells me that she lacked something. I went directly to look the other series the ML lead was in, but I didn't do the same for her. That said, I loved her, no doubt about that. She did a wonderful job to convey all the despair and the romantic feelings she had for him and I wanted to hug her so much when she suffered. I loved how genuine her feelings were and the actress conveyed these in a great manner.

2 The ML mother. She was a beautiful person and the actress made me feel for her. I loved how human she was about her feelings while trying to protect her son.

3 The friends of the ML and the brother. They were funny and adorable.

Things I liked

1 The university period. There were parts I loved but others not so much so that's why I putt this in the I liked things list. I could have done without the whole "having to care about his father" story.




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Completed
HekmatM_H
2 people found this review helpful
Dec 9, 2025
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Hidden love... ღ

It's my favorite series. Everything about it was amazing: the actors, the chemistry between them, and the soundtrack—it's one of my all-time favorites. I've probably rewatched it more than five times. Is that crazy? Yes, I know, but I love it in a different way.Chao Lucy is truly wonderful and Chen Zi, it's a green flag, pastures, And affectionate Whenever I see her or a picture of them, I smile, and I think the scene that haunts me most is when I traveled Sang Chi to Duan Jiashu and they met at the airport after a long absence ღ, ღ, ღ, ღ, ღ, ღ, ღ,I think it's my favorite scene...!!!

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Completed
DISBYDEM
2 people found this review helpful
Apr 30, 2025
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

A sweet, nostalgic slow-burn that makes your heart flutter ?

If you're looking for a wholesome, heartwarming romance that beautifully captures the innocence of first love and the gentle evolution into adulthood, then Hidden Love is for you. What starts as a schoolgirl’s secret admiration slowly grows into a mature, mutual love as they reconnect years later.

✅ Sang Zhi & Duan Jiaxu’s Chemistry: Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan absolutely nailed their roles. Their chemistry is natural, soft, and utterly swoon-worthy. Whether it’s stolen glances, playful teasing, or emotional confessions—every scene between them feels authentic and intimate.

✅ Slow-Burn Romance Done Right: The pacing might be slow for some, but I loved how the drama took its time to show Sang Zhi growing up (honestly, appreciated this the most in the entire show), from an impulsive teen to a young woman who knows what she wants. Watching Duan Jiaxu slowly open his heart to her felt incredibly rewarding.

✅ Cinematography & OST: Visually, the drama is warm and cozy, using soft lighting and pastel tones that perfectly reflect its coming-of-age theme. The soundtrack (with the exception of one song lyric ~ you know one that goes "I can taste you while i am breathing...eck!"), including Zhao Lusi’s own track, adds to the emotional weight of key scenes and enhances the overall vibe.

I would've loved more development for the supporting cast, especially Sang Yan (the brother) whose relationship with Sang Zhi had so much potential for meaningful sibling bonding but i was still very pleased with what they gave us in the end.

Overall Thoughts 🌸
Hidden Love isn’t a rollercoaster of plot twists or heavy melodrama—it's a warm blanket of nostalgia and quiet emotion. It celebrates the small moments of love: waiting at the school gate, a late-night text, a hand held a little too long. It’s those gentle beats that make this drama unforgettable.

If you’re a fan of slice-of-life romance, with amazing lead chemistry and a satisfying emotional payoff, Hidden Love is one to put at the top of your watchlist.

🌸🌸Rewatch Value: High - I HAVE SEEN IT COUNTLESS TIMES...NO JOKE!🌸🌸

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Completed
TTR - The Truth Review
2 people found this review helpful
Jun 28, 2025
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

This show is an 11/10

The best show and by far the best Chinese drama I have ever seen. I love the story, the cast, the music the side characters. EVERYTHING. I’ve re-watched it three times in the space of 18 months.

Key moments for me:
1. Looking after him while he was getting his appendix removed because he had no family was very moving, tender and touching.
2. Defending him in the restaurant when the stalker girl confronted him was exquisite.
3. In a flashback scene with him bowing to her parents for looking after him after his mother‘s death had me in floods of tears.
4. The scene at the airport when she thought her parents had scared him away and she chased back after him was absolutely everything. The sincerity of her confession, the way the realisation of her hidden love came across his face was giving so much and more.

I even like the villains, especially the stalker girl whose dad was killed by his dad was just the right side of demented.
The brother was a top boy and both sets of friends had depth and character.

I must watch for anyone who likes sweet love with not too much angst.

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Completed
Erica458
2 people found this review helpful
Sep 14, 2025
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
Beyond the Controversy: How Thoughtful Adaptations Transformed a Story into Something Extraordinary



# A Thoughtful Defense: Understanding Controversy and Excellence

‎Every hit drama inevitably attracts its share of critics and detractors—many of whom either haven't actually watched it or are simply determined to dislike it regardless of its merits. However, with an MDL rating of 9.0/10 and an IMDb score of 8.6/10, it's clear that the vast majority of viewers embraced this story. Beyond its commercial success, it stands as one of the most beloved dramas in recent memory.

‎This particular drama faces an additional hurdle that makes prejudice easier to develop, and I genuinely understand why. The portrayal of younger Sangzhi creates an immediate barrier for some viewers. While their earlier meetings were crucial to the narrative structure, I completely understand the discomfort. For those who find this aspect troubling, I'd suggest simply avoiding the drama—it's perfectly valid if it's not your cup of tea. However, I hope viewers won't form harsh judgments or join hate campaigns without understanding the full context.

‎## The Root of the Controversy

‎The main issue stems from viewers' reaction to younger Sangzhi's appearance, which made many people uncomfortable. Her petite stature created widespread misconceptions about the entire storyline. However, this was simply a realistic portrayal of adolescent development—Sangzhi was a late bloomer. People can transform dramatically within just 2-3 years during puberty. Anyone who has observed students in the same classroom, particularly in Asian countries, knows that some experience rapid growth spurts while others remain shorter for extended periods. Sangzhi's transformation was completely natural—definitely not common, but entirely believable. Despite her petite stature, she was mentally mature for her age.

‎Many viewers wished the story had begun when she was 17, but here's the crucial detail—**it actually did**. The drama explicitly states multiple times that Sangzhi developed romantic feelings for Jiaxu when she was 17. Before that point, it was mere admiration, nothing more. Their earlier encounters were essential to the narrative structure, providing vital context for the hesitation, struggles, and internal conflicts that defined their relationship.

‎## Understanding the Real Conflict

‎Just like many viewers, the characters in the drama itself struggled with this issue. The problem was never truly about their age gap, but rather the fact that he had known her since she was 14. Although they only encountered each other twice during that period and then reconnected after a 3-year gap with absolutely nothing romantic occurring between them, this history became the foundation of the entire drama's emotional tension. It created Jiaxu's profound internal turmoil—from his friends' disbelief and criticism to Sang Yan's physical retaliation, and most importantly, his own conflicted feelings about the situation.

‎**They didn't begin dating until she was 19.** Their age gap fell within a completely normal range—relationships with partners 0-5 years older are incredibly common throughout Asia. In fact, in many Asian cultures, women prefer partners who are a few years their senior rather than the same age.

‎When they started dating the drama handled this beautifully by treating them simply as two young people in love, rather than emphasizing an "age-gap relationship." While there were occasional lighthearted jokes about him being older, it was never portrayed as a genuine obstacle to their happiness.

‎##Character Dynamics: A Relationship of Equals( In the Drama but not  in the novel)

‎Drama:
‎When their romantic relationship began, Sangzhi was portrayed as mature and self-assured. Although it took time initially for them to adjust—understandably, since this was both of their first relationship and they were inexperienced—they quickly found their rhythm. From that point forward, the couple appeared as complete equals with no power imbalance and no noticeable age difference in their day-to-day interactions. Their communication and body language were perfectly synchronized, creating a believable partnership.Sangzhi was active while Jiaxu remained gentle yet playfully flirtatious throughout their relationship. From initiating kisses to pursuing intimacy, most romantic advances came from her, making their dynamic feel refreshingly mutual and healthy.

‎They displayed far more confidence than their novel counterparts. Not only did they share kisses openly in front of her brother , but they were even caught by her mother while kissing and showed no embarrassment about public displays of affection. This boldness was especially evident in the final scene where they're in her room at her parents' house—when they started kissing, the door was wide open (again, she initiated it). While my first thought was, "Girl, have some privacy! Close the door! I know you two are engaged, but have some modesty," this choice actually delivered a powerful symbolic message. Since their relationship had been built on hidden feelings and secrecy, by keeping the door wide open, they conveyed that there were no more secrets—everything was now open, honest, and passionate.

‎Novel:
‎In contrast, the novel's Sangzhi felt uncomfortable merely holding Jiaxu's hand in her brother's presence and remained much more reserved about PDA, always being extra cautious about public intimacy. In the novel, when it came to romance, Jiaxu was always the initiator, and after a bit of hesitation, she would play along.

‎Their age difference was even greater in the novel compared to the drama.The novel's Jiaxu exhibited controlling, less caring, and less understanding behavior with slightly aggressive tendencies (not abusive, but notably more dominant), often leaving Sangzhi feeling overwhelmed. She frequently voiced complaints about his behavior. The novel's Sangzhi was also less affectionate, less understanding, and somewhat more arrogant as well. While their drama versions seemed to have fallen head over heels for each other, their novel counterparts weren't nearly as lovey-dovey or passionate.The larger age difference in the novel created genuine social barriers—Sangzhi struggled to connect with Jiaxu's friend group and often felt the generational gap acutely, finding little common ground with his social circle. She often thought that this seven-year gap between them felt like something she could never quite bridge.


‎## How the Drama Elevated the Source Material

‎While the fundamental story remained similar, the characters underwent significant development across all roles—from Sangzhi and Jiaxu to Sangyan and even Sangzhi's friend circle.  The drama version of Sang Yan was almost a completely different character from the original, being far more understanding and supportive.The drama's supporting characters were considerably more nuanced and endearing than their novel versions.

‎Most crucially, many of the romantic moments and iconic scenes from the drama were completely original and not canon to the source material. Even when their conversations were similar, the setting, emotional delivery, body language, and intimacy were completely different. The novel rarely delivered those heart-fluttering scenes that made the drama so emotionally compelling and memorable.

‎It's worth noting a fact that in both the drama and novel, despite Duan Jiaxu being older, his voice and physical appearance remained remarkably youthful(similar to teenager) and charismatic. He was often described as possessing god-tier handsomeness with such a youthful look that when he visited Sangzhi's university and interacted with her classmates, none of her friends could tell he was significantly older than them.

‎## Final Verdict

‎**Drama version: A devoted young couple in perfect harmony** 

‎**Novel version: A more conventional age-gap relationship with inherent social challenges**

‎I couldn't connect with the novel because everything that captivated me about the drama was absent in the original material. What makes it even more problematic is that in the novel, Sangzhi falls for Jiaxu at 13 and appeared very small and childlike. In the drama, what happened at 17 occurred at 13-15 in the novel, meaning Jiaxu's memories were primarily of that young, petite Sangzhi—essentially watching her grow up from childhood. Even with young Sangzhi, they took a graduation photo together, which later became an uncomfortable reminder when they started dating, creating awkward situations for both of them.In contrast, the drama featured a physically mature 17-year-old Sangzhi. Rather than being a source of discomfort, their photo became a treasured keepsake—something precious they could proudly show others without any awkwardness or shame.This fundamental change demonstrates why I have such appreciation for the creative team. Special recognition goes to the scriptwriter, director, and entire cast who elevated this story into something truly extraordinary and successful. Their thoughtful adaptations and original contributions transformed a decent novel into an exceptional drama that resonates with audiences worldwide.

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Completed
Alicia
2 people found this review helpful
13 days ago
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Hidden Love: 06/20/2024 - 06/29/2024

This is one of my favorite shows and one that I will always recommend other people to watch. This is because this shows a love so pure and perfect. The way the two leads care for each other is perfect, it not unrealistic but instead very real and a way everyone should treat their partner. I also love how caring the FL is to the ML, usually it's the other way around but it so nice to see it in this drama. Lastly, I love how real the family dynamic is here. It is something truly adorable to see, especially how much the brother cares for his sister. It not an overbearing way but instead a protective and understanding way. Honestly everything about this show is perfect.

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Completed
Sarah
6 people found this review helpful
Aug 8, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 7.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
The story follows the main leads over a five year period. They first meet when Sang Zhi is 14 and Duan Jiaxu is 19, but it's a brief encounter. The story picks up again when Sang Zhi is 17, and the show chronicles how their relationship shifts from little sister/big brother to mutual feelings and finally, a couple.

What I liked about the story was that you really see each character go through different phases of their life, and the trials and joys of each period, be it losing friendships, finding a new job, graduating - from high school or university. Like changing seasons, we see our main characters getting their hearts broken, overcoming grief, and finding comfort and happiness.

Both the narrative and the cinematography (close-ups, focus on actors' minor expressions) reveal a story that is deeply personal. We mostly get Sang Zhi's perspective, and we spend a lot of time with her - she narrates her thoughts, we see her journals and sketches. It's cute, if you like that kind of storytelling, but there were moments when I wish they had used the screen time more wisely.

I will not say that this story is not meaningful or does not have depth, because it does. I will say that the world we see is very contained, and sometimes seeing the same faces gets old. This is exasperated by the fact that it's a low-conflict drama, which can be good or bad, depending on your preference. I thought the romance was sweet to the point of boredom. At times, I wished there was more conflict just so the pairing would feel like a more rewarding watch. However, if you want a sweet, comforting drama, this is a good pick.

The highlight of this show has to be the family bonds. I loved watching Sang Zhi interact with her brother. Their relationship was very relatable, from the bickering and petty fights, to the protectiveness. I loved how they could have little spats, but were a united front when it came to their parents. I also found the culture relatable - my parents would also ask me to focus on my education before my love life.

The romance itself was wholesome, if a little dry. Chen Zhe Yuan plays a charming Duan Jiaxu. Sang Zhi is meant to be cute and shy, and while that worked well when she played a teenager, it got a little drab as the story progressed. It was nice to watch them as a couple, but there isn't a lot to keep you excited once they get together. Or, at least, that's how it felt in my book.

It was an enjoyable watch but I'm clearly not the target audience of this show. At any rate, if it sounds like your cup of tea, you should give it a go. It's not my favorite, but it wasn't a bad watch by any means. I smiled a lot :)

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Completed
mezzohime
5 people found this review helpful
Jun 29, 2024
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 3.5
Acting/Cast 6.5
Music 4.5
Rewatch Value 3.0
This review may contain spoilers

Feeling conflicted

It was very much a wholesome slice of life/coming of age show driven by characters and not plot. It was a bit slow and dragging at times. The way they handled the age gap thing made me uncomfortable for 90% of it. I thought her being in high school went on for way too long and they got too close for my liking. I would have been much more comfortable with their relationship had he simply been her tutor, not paying much attention to her outside of that and her having a very simple one sided crush on him instead of this brother sister relationship they developed. And also if the timeskip was longer than just 2 years and they had pretty much forgotten about each other until they meet again by coincidence and then fall in love. There‘s just not enough of a difference in maturity between 16 and 18. Everything was the same as it was before and adding to that, she was not a very mature 16-18 year old either.
I also don’t like how quickly DJ accepted not only that he is in love with her but also made the choice to pursue her. I was hoping he‘d be more conflicted and ponder it for longer. I was totally with the brother and thought his initial reaction was very much warranted, but was then disappointed to see him pretty much accept it right away after punching DJ a few times.
It‘s unfortunate bc I liked both actors and characters individually, their chemistry was actually very good too and they had some really sweet moments towards the end. But I was on the fence about them throughout the whole drama.
Overall, it was enjoyable but too many major issues to rate it too highly.

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Completed
XmeX3
6 people found this review helpful
Oct 8, 2024
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 2.5
Story 2.5
Acting/Cast 2.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

Diabetes

I hate basically everything about this drama. It's so stupid, I'm at a loss for words. What's cool about a child falling in love? Apart from that, it's completely unrealistic and kind of the virginal dream of girls of boy band age. Help! Why does this drama have such good reviews?!?
There are a lot of wonderful Disney Tales, if you wanna die because of Diabetes.
..........................

I hate basically everything about this drama. It's so stupid, I'm at a loss for words. What's cool about a child falling in love? Apart from that, it's completely unrealistic and kind of the virginal dream of girls of boy band age. Help! Why does this drama have such good reviews?!?
There are a lot of wonderful Disney Tales, if you wanna die because of Diabetes.

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Completed
Riko
8 people found this review helpful
Jul 11, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 5.0

Not for people who dislike age gaps and straightforward romance

Everything has already been written. I think it's purely a question of personal taste. Here are the two things that didn't work for me :

- Age - gap : I was very worried about that aspect. To be fair, it was handled rather professionally and there was no reciprocity until the FL was an adult. But it still is a bit on the edge for me. 19-24 is not huge in theory and a 5 years gap is pretty common later on in life. But people change A LOT during those specific years. I am 24 and would personally never consider looking at a 19 yo coming out of highschool as anything else but a young adult who has a lot to learn, no matter how "mature" they present. It would just feel wrong to me.
The ML has treated the FL like a little sister for 10 years and even though they weren't always together, they still were close enough to have each other's phone number and occasionally text. The shift in the relationship almost as soon as she becomes an adult is a bit abrupt for me.

- the ML approach : once the ML quite suddenly decides that he's gonna go for a 19 yo, he gets very blunt with his approach. And it makes sense, he's honest and clear about his intentions and it's probably the best way to straighflowardly break the existing walls between them. I personally don't like this style at all, it's a matter of personal preference but he came off as too pushy and rushed for me.

Other than those two major contention points in the story, it's a very well made, peaceful love
story. So if you don't mind the age gap and the straightforwardness, it's worth a watch.

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Dropped 13/25
lalaloop
50 people found this review helpful
Jun 27, 2023
13 of 25 episodes seen
Dropped 15
Overall 5.5
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 3.0
This review may contain spoilers

Terrible Script, 19 & 24 is a Terrible Age Gap for Romance!

Sit back because it's a lot; coming from a fan who looked forward to Hidden Love since the start of this yr.

People accuse Hidden Love of the Big P word, here I'll be accusing it of terrible, ignorant writing, and plain illogical plot progression. It's terribly written and lacks self-awareness. A 5 year age gap is nothing between consenting adults—the problem is that Hidden Love develops this relationship when SZ, (a rich, immature, sheltered brat) is 19 years old (MAYBE SHE'S 20—same thing) and the ML is 24, but acts older.

I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone, because how can I be the only person to find it strange how there's really only 1 episode of DJX having conflicting emotions over his change in love for his meimei...and then the next ep is him confirming it, then the next ep we move immediately to him flirting and beginning to pursue her. Pursue a 19 year old....

❌ Here's what they should have done differently:

1. ❌ DJX accepts his feelings too quickly—alarmingly quick. Yikes.
~2/3 episodes. First, him thinking about her more, then acknowledging his feelings, then WHAM! he's pursuing her now???
I would have hoped for there to be longer hesitation and for there to be a point where he pulls away—It's weird because he has known her since she was 14 and he was 19. It doesn't help that the actress casted for 14 year old SZ literally looks like an 8 year child, not a pre-teen. (actress is 12, which doesn't help either).

Shouldn't he find that so conflicting and feel some amount of disgust or have a knee jerk reaction to reject these feelings? Shouldn't he at least sit down with a trusted friend and share his conflicted feelings? Withdraw from SZ? Analyze his memories with SZ and wonder where he went wrong, maybe where these feelings started changing? Analyze if what he feels is really romantic love, or just appreication for a close friend/family member that have been amplified because he's lonely?

2. 🌻Sang Zhi has not grown. She is NOT a grown up.
I thought the time skip would take us to a Sang Zhi that was more mature and wordly in her mid 20s. Maybe take us to a Sang Zhi in her final year of school (age 22), the same age DJX would have been when she was in high school. No. Instead, SZ is 19, and only 2 years have passed since she entered her senior year of high school. It's a black box of 2 years until we see SZ again, and although she tries to pull away she has very weak resolve towards distancing herself from him. Why? BECAUSE SHE'S ONLY 19!

She keeps constantly repeating that she's grown up now, but none of her 'grown up' life is shown, such as actually focusing on her career, working a part time job, interacting with her professors, taking up positions of responsibility at school. She majors in Digital Media? I have not heard this word since it was first mentioned in the time skip episode. SZ is a sheltered, pampered kid who functionally has not changed since she was 17. Her character simply revolves around her meetings with DJX.

3. 😬There should have been a longer gap in between when they got together.
(why does it have to be her freshman yr of uni? Why not the same year when she was graduating uni, as it would have been for DJX when SZ was in highschool) I've said this many times but 19, even 20 is still TOO YOUNG. She has not dated anyone else. She's still a sheltered rich kid. What does she know?

4. ☀️ DJX should have had more wealth of characters around him.
A healthy adult, not suffering from trauma and not having many close friends who they open up to, would not form such an emotional reliance on their 19 year old meimei. Compared to SZ, DJX is much less developed, except for his backstory with his father. Does he have no friends in Yihe? He doesn't really get deep and personal with anyone besides SZ, not even Sang Yan, his jie at work, or his friend who's getting married. Let's not forget the psychotic Jiang Xing or whatever her name is, to act as a foil and make SZ look better. He should consult someone about his changing feelings the same way SZ spoke to her roommates.

5. 🙄 DJX is that DENSE!? How could he not realize SZ's feelings?
You're telling me this highly intelligent, (both EQ and IQ) guy, at age 19, 22, and then 24, did not realize or have an inkling that SZ might like him? The story deliberately never lets him find out when she is in HS or as a child, because then the right thing to do would be for him to flat out draw a boundary, reject her, and distance himself.

Instead, DJX is always 'teasing' in an I'd like to believe innocent way, but isn't taken that way because the audience knows SZ likes him, and that he 'doesn't know'. Such terrible writing, in the year 2023? Do you want to show a proper depiction of a healthy relationship, or do you want to just romanticize these....weird grooming-esque interactions, because the person in power (DJX) NEVER gets the opprtunity to draw a boundary and tell SZ to stop being delusional and obsessive.

5. 🧐❓DJX is only 24. He doesn't FEEL 24.
I get that originally he would have been 27, which would have made more sense with what he does day-to-day, but I find it hard to believe that every 24 year old is this mature and flirty and with a job and a car and a chief engineer at a top gaming company. I can suspend my disbelief that he's really smart, and was forced to grow up early. But some script changes should have been made for us to believe that DJX really is younger in the drama version VS. novel, because what it then really starts to look like is that they just changed his age to be younger so netizens would get off their back about their 7yr age gap.

Honestly? I had high hopes going in! I've been waiting for this drama all year. I loved Chen Zhe Yuan in Secrets in the Lattice, and also can always count on Zhao Lu Si do deliver a great performance.

But the progression from their relationship from brother-sister, to lovers, is concerning.

There were some netizens condemning this show and comparing it to pedophillia, and I can see why. I don't think this show **is** that, but they've done a piss poor job at having 0% evidence of that. When you're making a story with this kind of premise, you need to handle it very carefully and make very deliberate decisions, and Hidden Love didn't do it carefullly enough, and made POOR deliberate decisions.

The novel material may very well have had grooming and pedophilia, I haven't read it and don't plan to. But why wasn't this fixed for an adaptation, with such a good cast? Better yet, fixed for an adaptation that will be aired internationally, that many young children will see? I'll reiterate, a 5 year age gap is nothing. It's PROBLEMATIC and hORRIBLE, however, when it's between a 19 year old, immature and childish girl, and a traumatized, emotionally vulnerable 24 year old man. I'm SZ's age group. I would never date a 24, much less 27 year old. And SZ is 19, and acts 12. Aiyaaa.

ANYWAYS, TL;DR, could have been a great story, with especially great actors after this drought from Cdrama land the past few months, but even my desperation will not allow me to keep watching this (at least not right now). A story with potential, with GREAT ACTORS and OST and PRODUCTION, that had a very poorly thought out,ignorant, misleading, and harmful script.

Could have all been solved by keeping things innocent until SZ is older and mature.

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Completed
Nebulix
3 people found this review helpful
Aug 27, 2025
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 2.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 5.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Not something new, but it has some lights.

Some aspects of repetition worked well but on the whole I felt there was too much repetition. I find the transition of the main couple's relationship from a brother-sister dynamic to a romance unconvincing and forced, the age difference between the leads when the relationship starts and the early framing of their relationship are seems a little uncomfortable.
Underdeveloped Side Characters:
Side characters and their storylines are being just as cookie-cutter and sidelined, leaving some parts of the narrative bland when not focused on the leads, which is something i didn't like, i wanted more depth and story for the side character.

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  • Score: 9.0 (scored by 79,586 users)
  • Ranked: #62
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